Starcrossed
by Larien Surion
Summary: Faize is stuck between a one-way relationship with Arumat and a much safer relationship with Lymle. When push comes to shove, some of Arumat's past comes to light, and Faize is the hapless victim of chance. FaizeXArumat, FaizeXLymle if you read between the lines there's some EdgeXReimi


Star-crossed

This is a fan-fiction. I don't own Star Ocean, just love it to bits.

Faize tried to keep his mind off her. The green-haired youth idly brushed some of his hair behind one adorned ear covering and tried not to look at the object of his affection. It was an impossible feat.

Lymle bounced across the room and set about putting more doodles on the floor of the Calnus. While she looked and acted like a six or seven-year-old, Faize had noticed there were times where she showed remarkable maturity. Sadly now was not one of those times.

There was another obstacle to Faize's affection for Lymle, and that was his roommate. While Edge had thought nothing of putting Faize with the other, Faize was really wishing the room-pairings had remained as they were. It would have been so much easier to confess if he and Lymle had just stayed in the same room.

With a sigh, Faize returned to his room. He didn't notice the other Eldarian there until it was too late.

"There you are."

Faize looked up, startled. "Oh, Arumat." He swallowed as the larger Eldarian grabbed his shoulder and forced him to his knees. He knew what Arumat wanted, even though it sickened him. Faize obediently undid the other's pants and began to lick the hard member that protruded. All too soon, it was roughly forced down his throat, where the hot white liquid it held was emptied into him.

Faize tried not to gag, and swallowed, sick with himself. Why couldn't he stand up to Arumat? Was it the six-year age difference? Or the fact that Arumat used a scythe and had farther reach than he did? Or was it the over-all presence Arumat gave off that said 'fear me and obey' that always made him do whatever Arumat wanted?

Arumat grabbed his scythe and left after doing up his pants again. He didn't notice the thud behind him as Faize fell over, lying in the doorway.

That was how Lymle found him. She hurried over, forgetting her childish arguments with him, and checked to see if he was alive. Then, she ran over and pounded on Reimi's door.

"Reirei! Something's wrong!" she insisted when the tall, chestnut-haired human answered the bedroom door. "Faize is on the floor, and there's white stuff dripping from his mouth, and he looks sick."

Reimi looked over, then grabbed the medical kit and went to attend to the Eldarian. "Faize?"

Only a low moan answered back. Faize blinked slowly as Reimi checked his head for injuries. Slowly, he sat up. "What am I doing here?" he asked.

"Lym found you lying in your room doorway. Are you alright? You seem to have a slight fever." Reimi felt his forehead. "Also, you were drooling."

Faize wiped his mouth, involuntarily shuddering at the thought of what Arumat had done. "I'm fine." he replied. He remembered quite well the threats Arumat had left him with should he ever speak of their relationship. If that was what you wanted to call it.

Lymle looked from Reimi to Faize. Why had Edge moved her from the room? With Arumat in there, it was now an unprotected part of the ship, as she couldn't get in for any doodling of symbology. And Faize had only started looking ill after Arumat had begun to room with him.

"Ok." Reimi got up, then offered her hand to help Faize up. She was somewhat startled at how light Faize seemed to be when he accepted her help. "You might want to do something about that fever, though."

Faize nodded. He smiled at Lymle. "Thank you for your concern, Lymle."

The small sixteen-year-old looked at him. "Faize, why did you nap in the doorway? You're supposed to do that in bed, 'kay?"

Faize smiled again, enjoying the small scolding. "I'm sorry. I'll make sure I'm in bed next time."

It was then that Arumat returned from his practice. "What's going on?" he demanded.

Lymle noticed Faize swallow.

"Nothing. I just collapsed in the doorway, and Lymle asked Reimi to check on me."

Arumat snorted and walked into the room.

Faize sighed. He knew he should really talk to Edge about this, but it was difficult. Arumat had threatened to torture him if he said anything about the 'relationship', but he missed Lymle being in the same room. It was frustrating.

"FAIZE!" Arumat bellowed.

He winced. "Coming."

Lymle looked at Reimi. "Faize doesn't look well, 'kay. Can Reirei and Edgie make it betters?"

"I'm not sure. He hasn't said anything about what could be bothering him, so we don't know what to do." Reimi sighed. "Maybe you should have let Faize go with Crowe."

"Uh-uh." said Lymle, shaking her head vigorously. "I need to show him that my doggie is a good boy. And he stopped wearing that ugly cloak after I told him it was ok."

Reimi nodded. "True." She and Lymle walked down to the lounge.

Meanwhile, Faize found himself tied with his arms behind him. "Arumat." he pleaded.

"Shut up, worm. I'm in a bad mood." Arumat forced Faize down on his knees and roughly made the younger give him a blowjob.

Faize tried not to gag as Arumat forcefully used him. The hot spray flooded his mouth and throat, and he was forced to swallow. Tired, he was sure Arumat was finished, but he was wrong. He was roughly unclothed, tearing his shirtsleeve in the process. Thrown over one of the beds, Arumat decided it was time to use Faize's body in other ways. When the younger tried to struggle, Arumat struck him heavily across the side of the head. In the end, all Faize could do was lie there and endure it.

The next morning, Faize looked at himself in the mirror. A bruise was forming in his hairline near the left eye and cheek. This was going to take a lot of care for the others not to notice. He also noted the finger-like markings all down his arms and across his back and chest. Arumat had certainly laid in on him any time he'd tried to make a sound last night. Shrugging on his good shirt, he left the room, trying not to stagger from his still-weak legs.

Lymle was the first to see him in the lounge. She circled the couch widely, just close enough for Faize to notice Cerberus, her Summoned Hellhound.

"What did I tell you about summoning him on the ship, Lymle?" he asked.

"But he's a good boy." Lymle said. She noticed the bruise forming on Faize's wrist. "We wanted to show you a trick."

"Not right now, Lymle." Faize sighed and leaned back on the couch. This, sadly, shifted his hair, and she saw the bruise on his head.

"Did you bonk yourself? You shouldn't do that, 'kay."

"Hmm?" Faize looked over at her. "What makes you think that?"

"You have a big purple splotch on your head."

"I fell out of my bed." Faize said, noticing Arumat coming down the stairs. He wasn't about to admit the truth, not with his roommate right there.

Edge stepped out of the bridge. "Crew, we'll be landing on Lemuris soon. I need everyone at their stations."

Faize got up and followed to the bridge, but his mind was not on the task at hand. Thus the Calnus landed a good half-mile from it's intended position.

"Nice work." Arumat snorted. He glared at Faize. "Get your head out of your ass, boy."

Faize had it. "Why don't you do it then?!" he shouted. His eyes flickered from violet to red. "Or are you to interested in your crewmates to care?!" As he yelled this, he got out of his seat to face the taller, and older, Eldarian.

Arumat backhanded Faize. "Don't speak out of line, boy." he snarled.

Faize picked himself off the floor where the strike had landed him. Hot, miserable tears ran down his pale cheeks. "I hate you!" he yelled. "All you do is use me! I wish you'd never come!" With that, Faize ran off the bridge and to his room.

The others all blinked at the strange exchange.

"Mattie, why does Faize hate you?" Lymle asked.

All she got in return was a snort.

Edge sighed. "I'll go talk to him." He followed Faize, only to run into the green-haired youth as he came down the stairs. "Faize, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I was out of line." Faize turned to walk away, but Edge grabbed his wrist. Without thinking, Faize flinched.

"Faize?" Edge looked at him. "Your face is bruised."

"Fell out of bed." Faize replied, trying to believe the lie himself.

"What did you mean when you said Arumat used you?"

"I'm inferior to him, so I must obey." Faize replied. "It's nothing to concern you." He pulled his hand away.

"Faize, you're a part of the crew, and a friend. I'd like to know what's wrong."

Edge didn't see that the others, including Arumat, had followed and were watching them. But Faize saw them.

"I said it was nothing, Edge. Just a fight between two Eldarians. It'll mend itself." He walked away, off the ship.

"Oh dear." said Serah. "I think Mr. Faize is very upset about something."

Arumat snorted again and walked away, following Faize. He found him standing in Triom, ankle-deep in snow, just standing there.

All it took was one sharp swing with the metal pole, and Faize was lying dazed across the ground. "Little ingrate." Arumat growled. He grabbed the dazed younger and dragged him into one of the abandoned houses. "Never talk back to me like that, you wretch." With that, without waiting for a response, he forced Faize's mouth open and roughly used the younger.

What he didn't realize was he'd been followed. Now, Lymle stood peering through the doorway, frightened. What should she do? Hoping that Faize would be alright until she returned, Lymle ran off to get Edge and Reimi.

Faize swallowed the hot white liquid obediently, almost all the fight knocked out of him. He just lay where Arumat tossed him, not bothering to move as the other stripped him and forced himself upon the smaller's body. Again and again, he felt the hard thumping against his small frame, and the hard blows against his frail form. It was over long after Faize passed out, and Arumat left him to lie there, bare, cold, and bloody.

Lymle grabbed the closest person, Myuria. "Myurrie!" she yelled. "Help!"

Reimi looked over. "What is it, Lymle?"

Lymle stood there, panting. "Mattie's beating up Faize." she panted. "And he was doing something weird."

"Something weird?" Edge asked. "Where is he now?"

"At home." Lymle replied. "Come on. Faize wasn't fighting back, he just let Mattie do it."

"Baccus, you and the others watch the ship. Reimi, you come with Lymle and I."

"As you wish." said the mechanical Morphus.

Lymle ran ahead, leading them back to her old home. But the door was ajar when they arrived, and neither Faize nor Arumat were to be seen.

"I know they were here, 'kay." said Lymle.

"We believe you, Lym." said Edge. "But it looks like one was hurt. Look." He pointed to the blood that had pooled close to the fireplace, and then moved in a trickling pattern along the floor, leaving partial footprints in it's wake.

"That's probably Faize, 'kay? Mattie hit him a lot, and was doing weird adult things."

"Adult things?" asked Reimi.

Lymle nodded. "Like Edgie and Reirei sometimes."

The pair blushed, realizing that Lymle had caught them having sex together. They jumped when they heard a soft thump against the outer wall of the house.

Hurrying outside, they found Faize, wrapped in a blanket but otherwise bare, trying to use the snow to clean his injuries. He looked up as they approached him and tried to move more into the lengthening shadows.

"It's alright, Faize." said Edge. "We're here to help."

Faize stopped his struggles, but held the blanket closer around himself. Slowly, he picked himself up and stumbled back towards the entrance to the house.

"Faize, we should really get you back to the ship." said Edge.

The Eldarian shook his head. He looked at them, and they noticed his face was bleeding, and only one eye was open. Also, his left ear covering was missing, and the pale ear underneath was torn and bloody. They could only guess the condition the rest of his thin body was in.

"Faize, you need proper medical care." said Reimi.

Faize only leaned on the inner wall of the house and slumped to the floor. He wasn't talking, which bothered the others, and he seemed weak.

Edge came over and tried to remove the blanket, but Faize held tight. A sickly cough escaped the invalid.

"Faize, what's wrong?" Lymle walked over with Cerberus following behind.

Faize coughed again, and a bit of blood ran from his mouth. He looked at her, then at Cerberus. Raising one pale hand, he took Lymle's and placed it against his bruised throat. A soft smile crossed his face, and then he fell unconscious.

"Faize?" Reimi looked at him. "He's only covered by the blanket."

Just then, Arumat stepped in the doorway.

"Arumat." Edge stood and looked him square in the face. "What did you do to Faize?"

Arumat looked from each of them in turn to the frail creature leaned on the wall. He sighed. "I guess he did keep his word, and all you knew was what was said on the ship."

"He's in pretty bad condition." said Reimi.

"I'll explain when he's better." Arumat replied. He scoped Faize up and followed Edge back to the Calnus.

"I had a lover." said Arumat while Reimi attended to the injuries Faize had sustained. "She was beautiful, but we weren't meant to be. She was married off to someone else, and died in childbirth."

"That doesn't explain Faize." said Edge.

"He looks just like her. Name's close to the same, too. It was too easy to mistaken him for her, and make him do what I wanted. When he argued, I threatened him. I felt he could replace her." Arumat sighed. "When he ran off out of the ship, I thought for sure he'd said something to you about our relationship, and so I punished him. He didn't fight back, only took it. As if he knew he was being punished."

Faize coughed and shifted. One eye was bandaged, and so was his ear on that side. Still only covered in the plaid blanket, what Reimi had uncovered of him was now swathed in bandages and looked half-starved. He looked over and saw Arumat.

Lymle sat on the edge of the bed and noticed him move. "Faize, Reirei took care of your hurts, 'kay?"

Faize didn't say anything. His throat hurt too much, as was evident by the bruises Reimi had tended to.

"He still needs care." said Reimi. "Even with Lym's healing symbology, Faize is going to need proper medical attention."

Faize tried to move, and Lymle caught his hand. "Don't move, 'kay? Reirei said you had a lot of hurts."

The green-haired youth smiled at her and drifted off back to sleep, holding tightly to the little hand.

For all their efforts, Faize still managed to walk around the ship somewhat, dressed in the only clothes he had left; the Eldarian dress uniform. Even at his regular weight it would have looked big on him, let alone with the weight he'd lost. But with his regular clothes torn, this was all he had left.

"Faize, why are you in a dress?" meowed Mericle.

Faize looked down at his clothes and smiled. The coat part did look like a dress. But with the pain in his throat, talking was out of the question. He couldn't answer Mericle.

Lymle noticed that Faize was sad looking and walked over to the couch where he was sitting. With her again was Cerberus.

"Faize, can I show you that trick now?"

Faize looked at her and nodded. He'd been so rude to her earlier when she'd wanted to show him, but now he had some time.

Lymle looked at Cerberus. "Sit, boy." The huge hellhound did as he was asked. Lymle dug into her pocket, pulling out a cookie. "Catch." She tossed the cookie in the air, and Cerberus caught it. She smiled. "See? He'll do it for Edgie, and Merry, and Bachie, too."

Faize nodded. So, she was trying to get Cerberus to do tricks for other people, huh? Well, it was better than just letting him rampage over the ship.

"Guys, we're about to dock with EN 2." called Edge. He saw Faize try and get up. "You stay there. We have Arumat working your station until your better."

Lymle saw the sad look in Faize's face. "You can share half my seat, 'kay?" She took his hand and walked into the bridge with Faize. It ended up with her on his lap, and a soft smile from the young Eldarian.

Arumat sighed as he went about his newer ship-board duties. The Calnus docked with no trouble, and fairly soon they were all out of the ship.

A medical team walked over, and Faize stepped behind Edge, somewhat scared. He hated doctors with a passion.

"Faize? What's wrong?" Lymle looked up at him and took his hand. "Everything's going to be fine, 'kay?"

"You said you had an injured crew-member." said one of the staff.

"Yeah, Faize." Edge replied. "He's . . . Where did he go?"

Faize was sitting on the exit stairs to the Calnus with Lymle, trying to calm himself before going with the doctors. He looked up as the medical team approached and swallowed. Even with only one eye available to see with, it was obvious he was scared.

"I'll come with you, 'kay?" said Lymle. "Then you won't be alone."

Faize looked at her and nodded. It took some effort getting up, and the pair walked away with the doctors.

"Wonder what his problem is?" muttered Arumat.

"Who knows." said Edge. "Let's see if Crowe made it here yet."

Faize flinched from the doctors as they tried to unbandage his face.

"We need to see the injuries. It's already enough trouble doing this with a child in the room."

"I'm not a child!" Lymle argued. "And Faize is scared, 'kay?"

Faize reached up and, despite the bandage on his hand, carefully unwound the gauze wrapping over his face and ear. He still couldn't open his left eye, the bruising was pretty bad. He then unwrapped his hand, showing that at least one finger was broken and swollen.

"What happened?" asked a nurse.

Faize shook his head and touched his throat, which clearly had bruises from where Arumat had nearly choked the life out of him.

"He can't say, 'kay? He doesn't talk anymore." Lymle walked over and sat beside Faize. "It's ok."

They watched as his hand was frozen and the bone put back in place, then casted to make sure it wouldn't move. This was repeated for his wrist as well, and three ribs. But he passed out when they tried touching his ear.

"What species was he again?" asked the doctor.

"Faize is an Eldarian." said Lymle. "And a friend."

The doctor nodded and set to work tending to the swelling and torn ear.

Faize woke hours later to someone petting his hair. "Hmm?" he groaned.

"The doctor said he should be waking soon." came Edge's voice.

"I'm surprised at the damage he sustained, and that he could still walk, given the condition his legs were in." It was an unfamiliar voice.

"Yes, but it's a good thing we got him help, right?" The airheaded voice belonged only to Serah.

"Yes, it is." That was Reimi. "But the question is what to do now? He can't walk."

"Not until they have the braces for him." It was Edge again. "But they said he may never talk."

"Why?" That unfamiliar voice again.

"They said his throat was badly damaged, and that his trachea was almost broken." That gruff voice belonged to Arumat. "But they did what they could to repair it."

Faize blinked, realizing his one eye was still bandaged over. The closest person was the one petting his hair.

"Lymle." he whispered.

"Morning." Lymle smiled. "You're not allowed to talk yet. The doctor said so."

Faize nodded. This was going to be awkward. He sat up, much to the surprise of the nurse that had been walking over.

"Oh, my. You aren't to be moving around just yet." she said. "We haven't fit the braces to your legs."

Faize looked down. He was only clothed in a hospital gown, and he could now see the damage his legs had sustained. They were tightly bandaged, and very sore. His one knee was in a splint-like brace, and it hurt.

"Let's get these on you." said the nurse. She fit the braces to Faize's legs, and he was starting to wish they'd just ripped them off. The braces were tight, and hard to stand with. Walking was another thing altogether. He fell, and the resulting thump was enough to bring two more nurses to help him up. Left in a chair, Faize looked down, hot miserable tears running along his face.

"Faize?" Lymle touched his tear-stained cheek. "It's ok. I'll help." She knelt a doodled a symbol to each of the braces. "There."

"Lym?!" cried Edge. "What are you doing?"

"I'm helping. Now it won't hurt as bad to walk, 'kay?"

Faize tried standing again, both surprised and relieved that, while it still hurt some, it wasn't as bad. He smiled at Lymle and tried walking a few steps. This was an interesting challenge, and one that needed help. Even with the braces, Faize needed to lean on something, and thus held to the wall.

Lymle ran over and took Faize's good hand. She put it on top of her head. "There." she said with a smile. "Let's go see Edgie's friend, 'kay?"

Leaning partially on Lymle, the pair made it out to the small visiting room where the others were.

"This is cute." said Myuria.

Through his entire recovery, Lymle stayed with him the most. Even when he wasn't on the braces anymore, Lymle insisted that they walk together. Faize couldn't help his feelings, and fairly soon, he knew what it was he felt for the young girl, who had seemingly grown about three inches over the last few months.

"Lymle." Faize said one morning as they watched the stars float by.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I have a question. Why did you stay with me through all this?"

"Because you needed help. And, Faize is a friend." Lymle leaned on his shoulder. "A special friend, 'kay?"

"Lymle."

"Yeah?"

"You've grown. I think your dress is getting too small."

"I know. I'm getting a new one when we get to Serrie's home." she looked up at Faize. "Is something wrong? You look like you want to say something."

"Lymle, I . . ." Faize sighed. "I love you, Lymle."

Lymle looked at Faize with her large brown eyes. "Faize, are you all better, now?"

He nodded, then showed her his now-covered ear. "See?" It had been the last thing to heal, since the ear cover had literally been torn off, with the attachment earing tearing through the soft flesh.

"Does Mattie still share your room?"

Faize nodded.

"Is there somewhere quiet we can go?"

"There is the storage room where I practiced my sword."

Lymle nodded. "Ok. We'll go there."

Faize followed her, not knowing what Lymle was up to. "Why did you want to go here?"

Lymle sealed the door so no one could come in. "Because," she said, "If two people like each other, the way we do, they do something special. Like Edgie and Reirei did."

It was no secret on the ship that Edge and Reimi were engaged, or that Reimi was expecting.

"You . . ."

Lymle nodded. "I want to be Faize's forever." She hugged him. "And the childish curse is gone because . . . I love Faize."

"Alright." Faize smiled. "But we do this right, ok?"

"There's a wrong way?" Lymle asked.

"Not really." Faize smiled, tilting her chin up. "But I want you to have this." He took a small chain from his pocket. "An Eldarian engagement charm. To say that we belong to each other."

Lymle smiled as he put it on her. "Now then, about making the baby . . ." she said.

It was a double wedding on Roak. Reimi and Edge were married publicly, at the palace. It was a grand spectacle, and one that had Roakians talking for days after.

But the little private beach wedding, witnessed only by the crew and a hellhound, was even more precious. Faize and Lymle, dressed in white, tied the knot.

Faize gathered his precious Lymle close to him. They would make their home on Lemuris, and raise their little family there. A family that was just beginning.


End file.
